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Sunday, 22 September 2013

I've read and enjoyed a fair few Amish novels when I was in my late teens/early twenties, mostly by Beverly Lewis. After a while however, many of the storylines seemed similar to previous books and I mostly left the genre behind. When I saw Promise to return being advertised on NetGalley, I was intrigued by the combination of an Amish story and a WWII background and decided to request it for review.

1943: Just weeks before Miriam Coblentz and Henry Mast where to have their wedding plans announced in their Amish community, Henry is drafted for army duties. Because of the Amish' pacifist beliefs, Henry ends up in a conscientious objector camp. When Henry arrives home on a short leave, Miriam is overjoyed at the time they will spend together, until Henry changes everything with the news that he enlisted for the army. Having heard about what the war in Europe is really about, Henry believes God has called him to serve in the army and fight for their freedom, a belief no-one in his community understands, not even Miriam. She is sure of her love for Henry though and decides to stand by him, even though this will get her into trouble with the church and lead to cracks in her relationships with family and friends.

Friday, 13 September 2013

I love romcoms, they're a great way to relax and often movies that simply bring a smile to your face. But I'm the first to admit that with many romcoms the story feels like a dime a dozen. So imagine my joy at discovering this gem of a British romcom, which is all the things a romcom should be, but to top it off, feels fresh and unique!

Wednesday, 11 September 2013

With her aunt Neda, Amalia boards the Titanic. In America, they plan to visit her niece and Amalia hopes to be introduced to a man she has been corresponding with, a man she hopes might become more than just a pen-friend to her. When boarding, Amalia sees a stowaway being dragged from board. Spurred by her kind nature, Amalia offers her nephew's leftover ticket to the hapless young man, Quentin Walpole. What she doesn't know is that Quentin is the estranged son of a wealthy American businessman, whose life has come tumbling down of late. As Amalia and Quentin enjoy the luxury of traveling with the Titanic, they grow close. But there is also a man from first class vying for Amalia's attention and when Quentin's secret comes to light, all their lives are drawn together.

Saturday, 7 September 2013

At the beginning of the 20th century, three young women from different backgrounds start jobs as nannies in the rich households on London's Berkeley Square. Mattie is an experienced nanny; calm and strict, but also loving towards the three children of 'her' St John family. When Ned, a new footman arrives in the household, Mattie doesn't care at all for his layabout and joking personality. But there might be more to Ned than meets the eye. Hannah arrives at Berkeley Square with a big secret, she has a child of her own. She's obligated to lodge her son Charlie elsewhere, while taking care of the Bertie, the scared and neglected son of the Hutchinsons. Then there's Lydia, a farmer's daughter, for whom everything at Berkeley Square is new and grand. Under the direction of the elderly nanny Collins, Lydia will learn and grow a great deal. The three nannies meet at their daily walks in the park and fast become good friends.

Tuesday, 3 September 2013

Last week, I went on holiday. First, I visited the Austrian city of Salzburg, for the second half I went to Munich in Germany. Here I met up with a friend of mine who lives there. I had a really lovely time with lots of history, culture and beautiful nature and it was really nice to spend time with my friend.I want to share with you some of the best sites I saw, I hope you enjoy it!

About Me

Welcome, everyone! I'm a 32-year old Dutchwoman. I'm a Christian and recently finished my PhD in veterinary science. I'm an Anglophile and a history lover and therefore my favourite movies are period dramas and my favourite books the classics or historical novels. I love animals and nature and my favourite season is spring! Enjoy your stay here and I hope you'll find some new titles to read or watch!
My 'other' blog is birdienl.livejournal.com where I've been posting for the last few years. If you're interested in more book or movie reviews, you can find them there as well!